TIPS FOR THRIVING IN BOZEMAN WINTERS

Someone once told me that the best way to feel at home is to embrace where you live, and live each day to the fullest. Well, that can be a challenge here, because the winters in Montana can be pretty grueling and long. So, here are the top ten ways to not only make the most of this coming winter but, quite possibly, learn to love it!

Embrace The Snow

The winter blues can sneak up on you quickly in Bozeman during our long, cold and dark winters. Yet, if you learn to love the snow and how to enjoy it, you will get through winter easily. This is the basis for all of the tips in this article.

Get A Snow Blower Or Hire Someone To Remove Your Snow

Snow removal in Bozeman can be overwhelming if it’s just you and a shovel. Don’t make things harder than they need to be; either buy a snowblower or hire someone to remove your snow. This will give you back much needed time, and will eliminate extra stress in the mornings.

Learn A Winter Sport

If you moved to Bozeman because you love our quick access to beautiful hiking trails, bike trails, and lakes, you’re in luck! Winter in Bozeman is when the fun begins. You can try all sorts of winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding (the obvious ones), but you are not limited to just those two. Try ice skating, snowmobiling, backcountry skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, hunting, or ice climbing.

Join A Book Club

If you’re not the outdoorsy type, there are still many hobbies you can take up, and ways to get connected in town, such as joining a book club. Winter is the best time to dive into a good book, especially when you’ve got a hot cup of tea and warm blankets while it’s snowing outside. A great way to find a book club is through the Bozeman Public Library.

Get Snow Tires

This may seem like a no-brainer with the amount of snow we get in Bozeman, but it’s really important. Snow tires will give you extra security while driving no matter what type of car you drive, but they are especially important for front wheel drive cars. If you need to get tires put on, it is best to make an appointment at a tire shop as early as mid-September. If you wait until October or November, tire shops are typically booked out for months, or they may even be sold out of snow tires. So, next year, plan in advance.

Invest In Good Quality Winter Clothing

Good quality winter clothing makes all the difference. If you have the proper attire on, 10 degrees doesn’t feel so bad. You don’t necessarily need to break the bank to get these quality pieces, either. Check out Second Wind or Play it Again Sports for all kinds of second-hand gear, including winter clothing.

Get Some Sunlight

Vitamin D deficiency is real during Montana’s winters. Your mom is right when she tells you to get some Vitamin D. Being deficient in this vitamin can lead to a slew of issues including mood swings, bone problems, and more. The best way to get good quality vitamin D in the winter is to spend 30 minutes outdoors daily. But if the sun isn’t poking out of the clouds, just grab yourself a good ole’ sun lamp. This way you can get vitamin D from the comfort of your warm home.

Have A Handful Of Seasonal Foods You Enjoy

Whether it’s coffee drinks, hot soups and stews, or baked goods, food can really help us enjoy the season. In fact, as a young girl, I have fond memories of spending the day skiing, then having chili for dinner with all the fixings. What are you going to prepare this season?

Jigsaw Puzzles

Winter means more time indoors. Being indoors for longer durations means it’s time to bust out the 1000 piece jigsaws. A puzzle is enjoyable for the whole family, and is a great way to have fun while working your brain!

Keep Up With Community Events

Bozeman events don’t stop when the snow starts falling. There are a variety of events that take place all winter long, including 5K races, live music, festivals, farmers’ markets, and more. You can find an indepth list of events on Bozeman Magazine’s website.

BONUS TIP - FURRY FRIENDS

Bozemanites love their furry friends. Don’t forget to help them enjoy the winter season by finding them some warm booties so they can join you on winter adventures and outings! O

Olivia Mithcell is an avid skier, hiker, and former ballerina. She currently serves the Bozeman community as a licensed Realtor with eXp Realty. Her passion is helping people live where they feel alive.

As chefs, and parents of three young children with food allergies, Erik and Mollie Walnum understand the importance of food, health, and family. Ultimately, that’s why they set out to create Unwaffle, the most nutritious, delicious, and convenient breakfast imaginable, to promote intuitive eating for families with dietary preferences and restrictions.

The couple met in culinary school 18 years ago and have developed a strong reputation for cooking quality food for people of all ages, backgrounds, and needs. As a private chef, Erik quickly realized the rising number of dietary challenges his clients faced daily. To better understand how to meet these needs, he dove head first into gluten-free and plant-based cooking, earning a certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell. As a pastry chef and educator, Mollie first learned the impact food can have on behavior, attention, and participation in the classroom. When their daughter, Ivy, was born with a dairy allergy, the challenges of allergen-free eating became even more real.

Their experiences at home, in the kitchen, in classrooms, and cooking professionally have given the Walnums a unique understanding of the food challenges families like theirs face. In search of solutions, they dug into their favorite recipe books and made many fun, healthy treats, but none hit the mark for that hot, fast, crave-worthy break- fast item. One morning, Erik tried scooping his trusty overnight oats into a hot waffle iron. A mess was made, and an idea was born!

Five years and hundreds of iterations later, they found the Unwaffle. “It’s got all the flavor and convenience of a typical toaster waffle, but made with world-class ingredients, and none of the junk,” says Erik. Despite the healthy ingredients, their kids loved the product. Unwaffle is the only gluten-free and top-14 allergen-free waffle on the market, as well as being plant-based, low glycemic, high protein and high fiber—a seemingly impossible list of accolades for a single food item.

The Walnums use certified gluten-free, organic Montana-grown oats from Montana Gluten Free in Belgrade, and organic lentils from Timeless Seeds just south of Great Falls. The other ingredients in the remarkably clean label include flax, chia, sunflower seed protein, coconut sugar, and olive oil. “We carefully mill these whole food ingredients, leaving all the nutrition intact, making for a delightful breakfast that you’ll feel great about having on your table every day,” says Mollie.

Why embark on the difficult task of creating a breakfast brand? The answer is of broad importance to the Walnums. Studies show that the health of our nation is declining, and the number of people with food sensitivities and allergies is rising. There is a link between the consumption of highly processed junk foods and disease. “Unwaffle